Fort Lauderdale, FL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Fort Lauderdale, FL Summary

Cost of living in Fort Lauderdale research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fort Lauderdale is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Florida, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Fort Lauderdale is 126, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fort Lauderdale is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Fort Lauderdale ranks as the #386 cheapest in Florida out of 459.

  • Fort Lauderdale ranks as the #4,776 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fort Lauderdale is $509,683.

  • The median income in Fort Lauderdale is $79,935.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
Fort Lauderdale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Lauderdale has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Florida, Fort Lauderdale has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Florida's index of 97.

The standard of living in Fort Lauderdale ranks as #386 most affordable out of the 459 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Fort Lauderdale ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.

For more reading on life in Fort Lauderdale, check out:

386 out of 459
In Florida
4,776 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Lauderdale Cost Of Living Vs. Florida

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fort Lauderdale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Fort Lauderdale is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Fort Lauderdale is 104.

  • The Health index in Fort Lauderdale is 93.

  • The Housing index in Fort Lauderdale is 178.

  • The Transportation index in Fort Lauderdale is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Fort Lauderdale is 104.

Living Expense Fort Lauderdale Florida National Average
Overall 126 97 100
Services 103 96 100
Groceries 104 99 100
Health 93 98 100
Housing 178 96 100
Transportation 102 97 100
Utilities 104 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Florida, check out:
Fort Lauderdale Cost of Living Vs. FL

Fort Lauderdale, FL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Florida, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Fort Lauderdale is $509,683.

  • The Median Rent in Fort Lauderdale is $1,776.

  • The Median Income in Fort Lauderdale is $79,935.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fort Lauderdale is 6.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Lauderdale is 0.27x.

Statistic Fort Lauderdale Florida United States
Median Home Value $509,683 $377,066 $303,400
Median Rent $1,776 $1,564 $1,348
Median Income $79,935 $71,711 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.4x 5.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.26x 0.21x
$509,683
Median Home Value
$1,776
Median Rent
$79,935
Median Income

Fort Lauderdale, FL Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Lauderdale Services Costs Vs. Florida

Item Fort Lauderdale Florida
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $13.42 $12.13
Bowling $23.13 $18
Haircut $22.18 $24.26
Beauty Salon $73.78 $45.56

Detailed Fort Lauderdale Groceries Costs Vs. Florida

Item Fort Lauderdale Florida
Ground Beef $5.79 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $14.0 $12.09
Beer $11.23 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.5 $3.7

Detailed Fort Lauderdale Health Costs Vs. Florida

Item Fort Lauderdale Florida
Optometrist $113.16 $125.68
Doctor $114.67 $135.78
Dentist $106.72 $113.29

Detailed Fort Lauderdale Transportation Costs Vs. Florida

Item Fort Lauderdale Florida
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.46 $59.92

Detailed Fort Lauderdale Utilities Costs Vs. Florida

Item Fort Lauderdale Florida
All Electricity $200.94 $193.99
Phone $194.37 $192.25

Fort Lauderdale SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Lauderdale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fort Lauderdale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Pembroke Pines, FL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Fort Lauderdale.

  • Coral Springs, FL has a cost of living index of 130, 1.0x Fort Lauderdale.

  • Davie, FL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Fort Lauderdale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fort Lauderdale
Pembroke Pines, FL 170,557 122 1.0x
Coral Springs, FL 133,962 130 1.0x
Davie, FL 106,412 122 1.0x
Boca Raton, FL 98,833 144 1.1x
Weston, FL 67,952 152 1.2x
Coconut Creek, FL 57,587 111 0.9x
Oakland Park, FL 44,015 111 0.9x
Lauderdale Lakes, FL 35,924 97 0.8x
Parkland, FL 35,799 169 1.3x
Miami Lakes, FL 30,731 136 1.1x

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